The Perfect Hope: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book 3

Ryder is the hardest Montgomery brother to figure out - with a tough-as-nails outside and possibly nothing too soft underneath. He’s surly and unsociable, but when he straps on a tool belt, no woman can resist his sexy swagger. Except, apparently, Hope Beaumont, the innkeeper of his own Inn BoonsBoro.... As the former manager of a D.C. hotel, Hope is used to excitement and glamour, but that doesn’t mean she can’t appreciate the joys of small-town living. She’s where she wants to be - except for in her love life....

Where does The Perfect Hope rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's pretty close to the top ~ it's a little soft around the edges, but Nora's trilogy's tend to be, so I expect that. I still love her writing no matter what ~ but this one was so focused on Boonesboro & the rebuilding of the town it was interesting, but almost edged out the rest of the story.

What did you like best about this story?

Lizzy, the ghost. I loved the whole back story there.

Which scene was your favorite?

Ha. When Hope sprayed Ryder with the water hose! Loved it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Hmmm...I did when Ryder dreamed about Billy's death. Broke my heart.

Any additional comments?

Again, Nora writes an amazing story ~ so when I rate this a 4, it's still made of awesome, just not my very favorite by her, and that's just because I tend to like her grittier books better, lol. The narrator for this book was excellent, he did an amazing job w/ the characters, and I loved, loved the whole thread of the ghost and her search for her lost love ~ and how it was tied up in a neat little bow in this book.

Hush

When Riley Cowan finds her estranged husband Jeff dead in his palatial home, she's sure it's no coincidence. The police rule it a suicide, but Riley thinks someone's out for blood - specifically someone Jeff's father ripped off in one of the biggest financial fraud cases of all time. She suspects that someone is trying to send a message to Jeff's father: Tell me where the money is, or everyone you care about will die.

Fabulous story ~ excellent narration! I'm never dissapoint in a Karen Robards story, and Hush totally lives up to her name! I loved Riley and Finn, the sparks flew off the pages between them. Riley really endeared herself to me by taking care of her ex husbands Mom & little sister after ex's Dad went Bernie Madoff on them and left them all with nothing. I don't want to share too many details but I assure you you canNOT go wrong picking up a Karen Robards read. Her characters are strong, lively and full of spunk...and you can totally relate to some of the situations they find themselves in. Excellent narration just boosts the characters that much more...they practically leap off the page and tell the story themselves!!

Taming the Alpha: A Werewolf Romance

After a year of lusting after his sexy employee, werewolf pack-leader Grant broke his no-involvement-with-humans rule and made a move on Talia. A month later the sex is still red hot and everything between them is perfect. Or so he thought. Until the night he shows up at her place expecting their usual ritual of mind-blowing sex and finds out she has other plans. And they don't include him. When Talia announces she's tired of being his last priority, Grant realizes he might lose the only woman he's ever cared about.

HOT HOT HOT!! OMG! In this short but satisfying listen penned by Katie Reus aka Savannah Stuart she totally manages to pack not only some heart twisting moments, but some smokin' hawt love scenes that'll have you reaching for your ice water! (Or you man!)

I loved Grant ~ the tough Alpha, who is responsible for so much and so many, has so much trouble with Talia, his one true love. He's been taking her for granted...but she's DONE allowing that! Talia gives this tough Alpha a true run for his money...and I enjoyed every second of it!

Once again I have to tell you how very, very much I love Katie Reus's writing! She can pack so much emotion, so many thrills & chills into a novella that you get the feeling you've read a full length book. I always look forward to the next book in her series, and this is yet another series she's hooked me on!!

If you haven't tried her out yet, DO!! This is the perfect place to start!!

Sinful Seduction: Red Stone Security Series, Book 8

As an heiress from a prominent family, Mina knows the pain of living under a microscope. Which is why she loves her sleepy Key West home where nobody knows her name. She’s determined to make her way without being coddled - and no mugging is going to change that. Former Marine and newest Red Stone Security employee Alexander Blue has seen enough bloodshed to last a lifetime - or ten.

This is such a winning combination of author & narrator! I adore this series, and Sophie Eastlake truly does it justice, in my opinion.

I have to say that at first I was a little bummed ~ I thought Blue and Zoe would end up together. But alas, they are only besties and destined to stay that way ~ and I was NOT dissapointed in the woman who turned out to be perfect for Redstone Security agent Alexander Blue.

Blue is pretty jaded with women as a whole, and has never fallen...until he meets & rescues the gorgeous Mina ~ who tries to live her life on the down low in Key West, keeping her true identity secret.

Attacked on the street, Mina knows her real life has caught up with her ~ but she's hesitant to trust anyone after being burned in the past. But before she even knows that Blue is a security agent she finds herself wanting to trust in him, and drawn in to him ~ both physically and emotionally.

I've said it before about Katie Reus ~ for the length of her stories it's amazing how much emotion and sexual tension she can pack into the stories. Blue & Mina have a sexual tension that sizzles off the pages, and while it's a slow build to the action, it's a lovely trip! There's a sexy water scene I adored...well, heck, I just loved the whole story ~ and am dying to know how Blue's bestie Zoe will find her true love!!

If you've not started this series the greaat thing is you can start it anywhere and get a great read ~ each is pretty stand alone, with only characters popping in but not distracting from story if you've not read the ones before. However you're going to want to!

Protecting His Witness: Red Stone Security, Book 7

Seven years ago she broke his heart... Leaving Vincent was the hardest thing Jordan Alvarado ever had to do, but she had no choice. She never expected to come back, or for the smoldering attraction between them to ignite into a bonfire. But deep down, she knows he'll never be able to understand or forgive what she did, and that being with him will only lead to heartbreak. He's not letting her go again...

Katie Reus has very quickly risen in the ranks of my keepers ~ I now own all her books on my Kindle AND in audio, they're that fantastic. In this latest installment in her Red Stone Security series we focus on Vincent and Jordan, who at one time were madly in love. But Jordan witnesses something awful and unexpected ~ and while she and Vincent are crazy for one another, can she really ask him to leave his family, his LIFE behind for her? It's been years since Vincent has seen Jordan ~ who left him with not explanation. He wants to hate her...but the second he sets eyes on her it's like they were never apart.

FABULOUS story ~ one of the things I like best about Katie Reus is how she can pack a full, emotional love story into a novella. That takes mad SKILLS! And she does it every time, lol. I loved Vincent and Jordan, the way they had to struggle to come back together ~ and the way Vincent was ready to step up and stand for her when she is threatened. Fabulous story, truly great narration ~ you can't go wrong with this one! It'll satisfy your romance AND suspense craving!!

Can't wait for MORE Red Stone Securities stories!And if you haven't checked out her Sin City series ~ you are SO missing out!!

Breaking Her Rules: Red Stone Security, Book 6

Iris Tarango is a small-town girl from the wrong side of the tracks; she's also a decorated former Marine who fought hard to become one of Red Stone Security's most respected agents. But her perfectly ordered life is turned upside down when she's assigned to guard the sexy, dominating tycoon she shares a secret history with.

I've been waiting and waiting for this story ~ if you read Katie Reus this ties in with her Sin City series ~ I kept checking and checking for this story, and you know how you're somtimes dissapointed when you finally get a story you've been waiting for forever?? That so didn't happen here! I absolutely LOVED Wyatt and Iris, and they are so perfect for one another ~ Wyatt is strong and domineering, but he knows how handle Iris, who is a strong and self assured woman. He's not about to let her go ~ even when she's stubbornly refusing him. The sparks fly from the second they step on the same page and don't stop! Smokin' hawt chemistry, Sophie Eastlake's fabulous narration & a GREAT story!

You don't want to miss this one ~ and let me recommend this whole series, as well as the Sin City series by Katie Reus. Action packed, sexy & full of characters you'll love and want to see more of!!

Vanished

When an 11-year-old is abducted on her way to school, the FBI doesn't waste a moment, sending agents to scour the area and embedding Special Agent Ava McLane with the distraught family. In the eye of the storm is local detective Mason Callahan, whose life is crumbling to pieces - he's related to the victim, and his longtime confidential informant has just been murdered.

Books,Chocolate and Lipgloss says:"AMY AND NICK DO IT AGAIN WITH THEIR AMAZING VOICES"

Kendra Elliot just gets better and BETTER! In this one Detective Mason Callahan's life is unraveling right in front of his eyes ~ his son's step sister has been kidnapped, one of his confidential informants has come up dead....even the dog that's not his dog has dissapeared. And out of all the people who he thinks he could count on it's actually FBI Special Agent Ava McLane, a woman he's just met ~ but a woman he's drawn to in spite of his life spiraling out of his control.

Oh, what a wicked, wicked web Ms. Elliot has woven for us! LOL, I'm totally one of those people who looks for red herrings and guesses whodunnit all through my books, and she had me hopping in this one: and I had NO clue!! The plot is tight and intense, the characters are likable and believable ~ even Mason's ex wife & her whole scenario ~ just a great read for us suspense lovers!

As for the audio this one takes a different approach than most; with both a male and a female narrator, who switch up chapters. It took me a few chapters to get used to the rhythm, but it totally worked with this book and kept me riveted until the last second. Both narrators were very good!

Sensual Surrender: The Serafina: Sin City Series

I'm ready to move on. Please don't search for me. Please just let me go. Ellie.The note on the kitchen table shatters Jay Wentworth's world into bits. Ellie is his lover, his soul mate, his best friend...she's the woman who stood by him through the aftermath of a horrible explosion, the woman he's planning to propose to. He'd do anything for her…except let her go. With his fierce protectiveness kicked into overdrive, he teams up with Ellie's Hotel Serafina boss, billionaire Wyatt Christiansen, to find her.

I'm loving the Sin City series...and this audio book just delivered totally! What I'd call novella length it gives us a complete story with all the emotions & romance us lovers of the genre want, without compromising a thing for the shorter length.

It actually picks ups with the hero, Jay, and his heroine, Ellie, having been lovers for about a year. They're completly into one another ~ but Ellie has a past she's not exactly been keeping a secret from Jay, but that she's never bothered to share, either. And that past has come back to haunt her; in the form of an Ex from long ago who wants Ellie to either give him inside info from the Hotel Serafina ( where she's executive assistant for Wyat Christensen, the owner ) or he'll reveal all to not only Jay, but her boss, Wyatt.

In an attempt to shield everyone from repercussions of her past Ellie tries to just dissapear ~ but things don't go quite as planned, and she's got a lot of shoring up w/ Jay after her little stunt and not trusting him.

LOVED it! The narration is excellent ~ it has both a man and a woman narrating, alternating POV from chapter to chapter, and it SO worked for me! I loved that she didn't try to build the whole relationship in the novella, but gave us background for the players, and built us up to where they currently are in their relationship.

I'm such a fan of Katie's books, and love that she continues to write books I not only love, but that as soon as I'm done I'm off to search out the next in the series.

First Surrender: The Serafina: Sin City Series, Book 1

Sierra hit it off with Hayden from the moment they met. The dangerously sexy, tattooed ex-SEAL is one of the best friends she’s ever had - and the main star in her wildest fantasies. But he doesn’t see her that way. And she’d die of embarrassment if he found out she was still a virgin. When an attacker targets Sierra, Hayden’s protective instincts go into overdrive. With the attraction between them burning out of control, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her and convince her they’re meant to be together.

I so enjoyed this read/listen! It's short, but Ms. Reus packed it with emotion and action. Hayden and Sierra are co workers who have formed a great friendship ~ although BOTH of them want more, neither is willing to take that first step. That is until Sierra is in danger...and Hayden firmly positions himself as her body...guard.

I loved it! I'd read it already, but love listening to reads I've enjoyed, and found the narration fabulous, the story fast paced and filled with sexy times (Oh, YEAH, yum!) Ms. Reus is totally an auto buy for me! I can't wait to listen to the next book in the series!!

Concealed in Death: In Death Series, Book 38

In a decrepit and long-empty New York building, a man begins the demolition process by swinging a sledgehammer into a wall. When the dust clears, he finds two skeletons wrapped in plastic behind it. The man is Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s billionaire husband, Roarke, and he summons her immediately. His latest real estate project is going to be on hold for a while, because by the time Eve and her crew are finished searching the premises, there are 12 murders to be solved.

This is one of my absolute favorite series in Audio; It’s a winning combination of a fabulous author with an amazing narrator. I’d read every book in this series up unitl a few years ago, then I fell a few behind. So I thought what the heck, I’ll try one in Audio and catch back up. I wound up buying EVERY single book in audio just listen to Susan Ericksen breath new life into these characters for me! She’s THAT good! She’s built personality into the voices of each character and you can SEE their faces while you’re listening. LOVE it!

Nora Roberts, aka J.D. Robb, changes the tone of the In Death books often. If you’re a fan, you know exactly what I mean. While each book focuses on a case, some books will make you laugh, some will you leave you shaking your head at humanity, and some will really just make you sad. For me this was one of the Makes Me Sad cases.

Roarke has just purchased an older building that he has plans of restoring. Taking a personal interest he’s there when the demolition begins ~ and the bodies are found sealed into false walls. For he wife Lt. Eve Dallas the bodies of the young girls found are HER’s. She always takes a personal interest in the dead…they now belong to her. This case in particular touches her on a deep level, as these girls were orphans, abused, children who started life under the worst of circumstances in most of the cases; and Eve can so relate. She’d begun her life that, only unlike these girls she’d had the chance to build something else in her life. And she’s determined to find out who stole that chance from these girls…

This one focus’s hard on the relationship between Eve and Roarke, and Eve’s relationship with her bestie Mavis Freestone. It’s been great to see Eve open up and accept people and love into her life throughout the series, and we really get to see the contrast between the now and what once was in this one. While it left a lingering sadness on me for Eve, Roarke and Mavis, I loved every second of this story. Couldn’t quit listening!

I will say that if you’re new to this series this isn’t the place to start.

While I believe you’d totally enjoy the story you’d miss so much of the full series arc that runs through that you couldn’t possibly enjoy it as much as you SHOULD. There are some in this series that are stand alone. This isn’t one!

Darkness Awakened, Volume 1

As leader of one of the fiercest werewolf packs in the south, Finn Stavros is in full battle mode 24/7. He has no choice - he's one of the few beings strong enough to fight the Akkadian demons, whose mysterious escape from hell threatens the entire world. With the battle turning bloodier by the second, Finn is ready for anything...until his vampire long lost love shows up on his doorstep in desperate need of his help, sending his heart into a tailspin.

Werewolf Finn Stavros and Vampire Lyra Marius defied the confines of their races and fell in love – 17 years ago. Only Finn, scared for Lyra’s safety, cut the relationship off while he fought and won the Alpha position in his pack. He began searching for her as soon as he became Alpha, and has been searching ever since, with no luck…until she shows up on his pack’s doorstep, desperate for help.

Lyra has a secret she’s afraid to share with Finn, a secret that cost her her position in her Coven, and resulted in her building a life with her daughter in the human world. Now her daughter has been kidnapped, and Finn is the only person she can turn to for help.

Someone is releasing Akkadian demons, and Lyra is fearful they’re trying to use her daughter to fulfill an old prophecy…a prophecy she’s not told the full truth about. But it only takes their eyes meeting for them both to realize feelings are still there, the WANT is still there.

I really liked Lyra – she’s built a life as a single mother for herself and her daughter, and she’s done it with no help from family OR friends. She comes across as a strong, likeable woman whose goal to this point has been raising her daughter. Now the very center of her world is being threatened and she’s willing to ask for help from a man she believes didn’t want her. I liked the way Lyra and Finn interact – while this isn’t a long story, I felt like the past relationship worked perfectly for them to fall for one another so quickly. Not once did Katie Reus lose the perspective of Lyra’s daughter being the focal point of the story.

Finn’s focus has been his pack – and finding Lyra. He’s never been able to find another woman who even tempted him…Vampire or not, she’s the woman for him. And he’s all in to help her find her daughter, no matter the cost. He’s strong, sexy and more than willing to show his pack that Lyra is the woman for him. There’s lots of sexy, smokin’ moments!

This was a great sexy shifter story!

LOVED the narration – I’m not always a fan of a male narrator, but he does a great job with the female voices AND the male voices. And WOW, Katie Reus teases us with a brief glimpse of a sexy Dragon shifter…Grrrr…can’t wait for that one!

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